Processing device and processing method

Abstract

This processing device: stores map data, which includes position data on a plurality of intersections connected to a plurality of roads; receives road traffic information, which includes start position data indicating a start point of a first segment, end position data indicating an endpoint of the first segment, first distance information indicating the length of the first segment, and second distance information indicating the length from the start point or the endpoint to the start position or the end of a segment of attention in which traffic congestion or traffic regulation is present; identifying, from the map data, a first intersection having a distance, which is from the start point and satisfies a prescribed condition, and a second intersection having a distance, which is from the endpoint and satisfies a prescribed condition; calculating a distance ratio, which is the ratio between the length of a road connecting the first intersection and the second intersection and the length of the first segment; and, when the distance ratio is smaller than a first reference value, determines, as the road, a second segment corresponding to the first segment, calculates a distance correction value, which is the ratio between the length of the first segment and the length of the second segment, uses the distance correction value to correct the length indicated by the second distance information, and displays a map in which the segment of attention is indicated by the corrected length of the second information.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for displaying, on a map, caution sections that indicate sections where traffic congestion or traffic restrictions are occurring, based on received road traffic information. [Background technology]

[0002] US Patent No. 5,399,633 discloses a method for determining the location of a point encoded using a first digital map within a second digital map using a location reference.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a technique that enables accurate transmission of position information of a specific point without causing positional deviation, even when different map databases are used on the sending and receiving sides. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2016-540981 [Patent Document 2] JP 2005-300394 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention aims to correct, through simpler processing, the misalignment of the display position of caution sections on a map that occurs when the map data held by a server that transmits road traffic information differs from the map data held by a processing device that receives the road traffic information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A processing device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a communication unit, a storage unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The communication unit receives road traffic information including start point position data indicating a start point of a first section, end point position data indicating an end point of the first section, first distance information indicating a length of the first section, and second distance information indicating a length from the start point or end point to a start position or end of a caution section where traffic congestion or traffic regulation is occurring. The storage unit stores map data including position data of multiple intersections connecting multiple roads. The display unit displays a map based on the map data.

[0007] The control unit identifies from the map data a first intersection whose distance from a starting point satisfies a predetermined condition and a second intersection whose distance from an end point satisfies a predetermined condition, calculates a distance ratio which is the ratio between the length of the road connecting the first intersection and the second intersection and the length of the first section, and if the distance ratio is smaller than a first reference value, determines the road to be the second section corresponding to the first section, calculates a distance correction value which is the ratio between the length of the first section and the length of the second section, corrects the length indicated by the second distance information using the distance correction value, and displays on the display unit a map showing the caution section with the length of the corrected second distance information.

[0008] The processing device of the first embodiment displays a map indicating the caution zone on the display unit using a distance correction value which is the ratio between the length of the first zone and the length of the second zone, and thus can correct and resolve misalignment of the display position of the caution zone on the map through simple processing.

[0009] (2) In the processing device according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the road traffic information may further include third distance information indicating the length of the caution section, and the control unit may further correct the length of the caution section using a distance correction value and cause the display unit to display a map showing the caution section with the corrected length.

[0010] (3) In the processing device according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the map data further includes direction data indicating the road direction of each road and road type data, the road traffic information further includes first direction data indicating the road direction of the first section and first road type data indicating the road type of the first section, and the specified condition may be an intersection that is closest to the start point or the end point, or an intersection that is connected to a road that matches the road direction indicated by the first direction data or has direction data within a specified angle including the road direction, or an intersection that is connected to a road that matches the first road type.

[0011] (4) A processing method according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is a processing method used in a processing device that stores map data including position data of a plurality of intersections connected to a plurality of roads and displays a map based on the map data, the processing method including the steps of receiving road traffic information including start point position data indicating the start point of a first section, end point position data indicating the end point of the first section, first distance information indicating the length of the first section, and second distance information indicating the length from the start point or the end point to the start position or the end of a caution section where traffic congestion or traffic regulation is occurring; The method includes the steps of: identifying from map data a second intersection whose distance from the first intersection satisfies a predetermined condition; calculating a distance ratio which is the ratio between the length of the road connecting the first intersection and the second intersection and the length of the first section; determining the road as the second section corresponding to the first section if the distance ratio is smaller than a first reference value; calculating a distance correction value which is the ratio between the length of the first section and the length of the second section; correcting the length indicated by the second distance information using the distance correction value; and displaying a map showing the caution section with the length of the corrected second distance information. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, even if the map data held by the server that transmits road traffic information differs from the map data held by the processing device that receives the road traffic information, the display position shift of the caution section on the map can be corrected by simpler processing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a processing system including a processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an image of a first road network represented by first map data. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing various types of information included in road traffic information. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the contents indicated by road traffic information. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an image of a second road network represented by second map data. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining caution sections based on road traffic information before correction. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the contents indicated by corrected road traffic information. [Figure 8] 13 is a flowchart of a second interval calculation process. [Figure 9] 13 is a flowchart of a start position correction process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] 1, a processing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a server 2 and a processing device 3. The server 2 includes a first storage unit 21, a first communication unit 22, and a first control unit 23. The first control unit 23 includes a traffic information generation unit 24, a transmission destination determination unit 25, and a communication control unit 26. The first storage unit 21 stores first map data 27.

[0015] The processing device 3 includes a current location detection unit 31, a second communication unit 32, a second storage unit 33, a display unit 34, and a second control unit 35. The second control unit 35 includes an intersection search unit 36, a road search unit 37, a correction unit 38, and a display control unit 39. The second storage unit 33 stores second map data 40.

[0016] The first map data 27 and the second map data 40 are digital maps that represent the same road network using different data. The digital map represents a road network formed by two or more roads intersecting with each other.

[0017] The first map data 27 and the second map data 40 are data representing the same road network, but the shapes of the road networks represented on the maps are different. The shape of the first road network 5 represented by the first map data 27 shown in Fig. 2 is different from the shape of the second road network 7 represented by the second map data 40 shown in Fig. 5.

[0018] The processing device 3 is mounted on a moving object 4. The moving object 4 is, for example, an automobile, a motorcycle, or a train. When the moving object 4 is an automobile, the processing device 3 is, for example, a car navigation device. The processing device 3 may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a notebook computer. The processing system 1 may include two or more processing devices 3.

[0019] In the processing system 1, the server 2 is a transmitting device, and the processing device 3 is a receiving device. The server 2 may be managed, for example, by an organization that provides VICS (registered trademark) (Vehicle Information and Communication System), or may be managed by a company that provides traffic information that it has collected independently.

[0020] The communication control unit 26 transmits road traffic information 60 to the processing device 3, which displays a map of a predetermined range from the section where traffic congestion or traffic regulation occurs. The correction unit 38 corrects the road traffic information 60 received via the second communication unit 32 so that it corresponds to the second map data 40. The second control unit 35 performs control for notifying, for example, the driver of the mobile object 4 of the traffic congestion or traffic regulation based on the corrected road traffic information 60.

[0021] <Server 2 Configuration> The first storage unit 21 stores the first map data 27, a program for controlling the server 2, and various data necessary for controlling the server 2. The first storage unit 21 is configured, for example, with a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM or a flash memory, a hard disk, or an optical disk.

[0022] The first map data 27 represents the first road network 5 using nodes and links. In the first road network 5, two or more first roads 52a intersect with each other. The first road network 5 includes two or more intersections. The nodes are position data of predetermined points including the intersections and the ends of the first roads 52a.

[0023] The link includes a link number that identifies the first road 52a that connects two nodes. The first map data 27 further includes direction data that indicates the direction in which the link extends by an angle, road type data that indicates the type of the first road 52a that corresponds to the link, and data that indicates the length of the link.

[0024] The first communication unit 22 is configured with, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card), etc. The server 2 communicates with the processing device 3 via the first communication unit 22.

[0025] The traffic information generating unit 24 generates road traffic information 60 based on the first map data 27. To generate the road traffic information 60, the traffic information generating unit 24 identifies the caution section 50 and determines the first section 53.

[0026] The caution section 50 is a section where traffic congestion or traffic regulations, etc. are occurring. Traffic regulations include regulations due to traffic accidents or road construction, etc. The traffic information generating unit 24 identifies a section in the first road network 5 where traffic congestion or traffic regulations are occurring as the caution section 50.

[0027] 2, the traffic information generating unit 24 identifies a section including one or more caution sections 50 as a first section 53. In order to identify the first section 53, the traffic information generating unit 24 searches for two nodes corresponding to two points connected via the first road 52a where the caution section 50 is located, from among two or more nodes representing the first road network 5. These points are, for example, intersections.

[0028] The traffic information generating unit 24 determines the section between the two points corresponding to the searched nodes as the first section 53. The searched nodes become the start point 54 or end point 55 of the first section 53. The length of the first section 53 may be set according to at least one of the range and scale of the second map data 40 displayed on the display unit 34, for example. The length of the first section 53 may be set based on the mesh of the first map data 27 or the second map data 40, for example. The length of the first section 53 may be set based on a factor other than the above. The traffic information generating unit 24 acquires position data corresponding to the searched nodes from two or more nodes included in the first map data 27.

[0029] 3, the road traffic information 60 includes start point position data 61 and end point position data 62. The road traffic information 60 further includes direction data 63 of the start point 54, direction data 64 of the end point 55, road type data 65 of the start point 54, road type data 66 of the end point 55, first distance information 67, number of sections information 68, second distance information 69, and third distance information 70. The road traffic information 60 may further include information indicating the cause of the occurrence of the caution section 50, such as traffic congestion, traffic regulations, traffic accidents, or road construction.

[0030] The start point position data 61 and the end point position data 62 are position data corresponding to the nodes acquired by the traffic information generating unit 24 from the first map data 27 as described above. The start point 54 and the end point 55 are represented by latitude and longitude coordinates, respectively. The mobile object 4 can travel in the first section 53 from the start point 54 to the end point 55.

[0031] The direction data 63 of the start point 54 indicates, by an angle, the direction of a link that, among the links corresponding to the first section 53, connects to a node corresponding to the start point 54 in the first road network 5. The direction data 64 of the end point 55 indicates, by an angle, the direction of a link that, among the links corresponding to the first section 53, connects to a node corresponding to the end point 55 in the first road network 5.

[0032] Road type data 65 of starting point 54 indicates the road type of a link that, among the links corresponding to first section 53, connects to a node corresponding to starting point 54 in first road network 5. Road type data 66 of end point 55 indicates the road type of a link that, among the links corresponding to first section 53, connects to a node corresponding to end point 55 in first road network 5.

[0033] The first distance information 67 indicates the length of the first section 53. That is, the first distance information 67 indicates the length of the first road 52a from the start point 54 to the end point 55. The length of the first section 53 is also referred to as the total road length. The section number information 68 indicates the number of caution sections 50 included in the first section 53.

[0034] One second distance information 69 is included for each caution section 50. The second distance information 69 indicates the length of the first road 52a from the start point 54 or end point 55 of the first section 53 to the caution section 50. The second distance information 69 indicates the length of the first road 52a from the start point 54 of the first section 53 to the end 59 of the caution section 50 shown in FIG. 2.

[0035] The second distance information 69 is not limited to this, and may be any information capable of identifying the caution section 50. Therefore, the second distance information 69 may indicate the length of the first road 52a from the start point 54 or end point 55 of the first section 53 to a predetermined position in the caution section 50. For example, the second distance information 69 may indicate the length of the first road 52a from the start point 54 of the first section 53 to the start position 58 of the caution section 50 shown in FIG. 2. The second distance information 69 may indicate the length of the first road 52a from the end point 55 of the first section 53 to the start position 58 or end 59 of the caution section 50.

[0036] One piece of third distance information 70 is included for each warning section 50. The third distance information 70 indicates the length of the warning section 50. In other words, the third distance information 70 indicates the length of the first road 52a from the start position 58 to the end position 59 of the warning section 50.

[0037] The first distance information 67, the second distance information 69, and the third distance information 70 are information for identifying the caution zones 50 based on the first zone 53. The number of the second distance information 69 and the third distance information 70 included in the road traffic information 60 varies depending on the number of caution zones 50 included in the first zone 53. Note that instead of the second distance information 69 and the third distance information 70, other information for identifying where in the first zone 53 the caution zones 50 are located may be used.

[0038] 4, start point position data 61 indicates coordinates of 139.XXX, 36.XXX, direction data 63 of start point 54 indicates an angle of 30°, and road type data 65 of start point 54 indicates the road type of a general road. End point position data 62 indicates coordinates of 139.YYY, 36.YYY, direction data 64 of end point 55 indicates an angle of 0°, and road type data 66 of end point 55 indicates the road type of a general road.

[0039] The first distance information 67 indicates a length of 1250 m, and the section number information 68 indicates the number of 2s. In this example, the cause of the occurrence of the caution section 50 is congestion, and the first piece of second distance information 69 indicates a length of 650 m, and the first piece of third distance information 70 indicates a length of 150 m. The second piece of second distance information 69 indicates a length of 1000 m, and the second piece of third distance information 70 indicates a length of 250 m.

[0040] It should be noted that the coordinates may be in a geodetic system other than WGS84, which is a global geodetic system established and maintained in the U.S. In the following description, when it is necessary to distinguish between two or more attention zones 50, the attention zones 50 are given different reference symbols.

[0041] 1 identifies the processing devices 3 mounted on the moving object 4 within a predetermined range from the warning zone 50 based on the current location of the moving object 4. The predetermined range is, for example, a 1 km radius from the warning zone 50.

[0042] The communication control unit 26 controls the first communication unit 22 so that the road traffic information 60 is transmitted to the processing device 3 specified by the transmission destination determination unit 25 .

[0043] The first control unit 23 is configured, for example, by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit).

[0044] <Configuration of processing device 3> The current location detection unit 31 detects the current location of the mobile object 4 at a predetermined time interval. The current location detection unit 31 is configured with, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor. The current location detection unit 31 represents the current location of the mobile object 4 by, for example, latitude and longitude coordinates.

[0045] The second communication unit 32 is composed of a NIC or the like. The processing device 3 communicates with the server 2 via the second communication unit 32. The second communication unit 32 transmits current location data indicating the current location detected by the current location detection unit 31 to the server 2. The second communication unit 32 receives road traffic information 60 from the server 2.

[0046] The second storage unit 33 stores the second map data 40, a program for controlling the processing device 3, various data necessary for controlling the processing device 3, and the like. The second storage unit 33 is configured, for example, by a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM or a flash memory, a hard disk, or an optical disk. The second storage unit 33 may be configured, for example, by a Secure Digital Memory Card (SD memory card) or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory that can be inserted into the processing device 3.

[0047] The second map data 40 expresses the second road network 7 shown in FIG. 5 with nodes and links. In the second road network 7, two or more second roads 52b intersect with each other. The second road network 7 includes two or more intersections. The second map data 40 includes, for example, position data as nodes that is different from that of the first map data 27. The second map data 40 includes, for example, direction data and road type data that is different from that of the first map data 27. The second map data 40 includes, for example, data indicating the length of a link that is different from that of the first map data 27.

[0048] The road lengths calculated based on these digital maps differ depending on the type of digital map, even if the same road is the subject of the calculation. For example, the length of the first section 53 calculated based on the first map data 27 is 1250 m as shown in Figure 4, but the length of the second section 73 calculated based on the second map data 40 is 1000 m as shown in Figure 7(a).

[0049] The second section 73 is a section in the second road network 7 that corresponds to the first section 53 of the first road network 5. Such a difference between the first map data 27 and the second map data 40 is due to, for example, a difference in map version or a difference in production company.

[0050] 1 displays a map based on the second map data 40. The display unit 34 displays a map showing a cautionary section 50 at a position corresponding to the arrows 73a and 73b in FIG.

[0051] In order to find the second section 73, the intersection search unit 36 ​​searches for an intersection that satisfies a predetermined condition from among the intersections that make up the second road network 7. The predetermined condition is, for example, that the intersection is closest to the point 54a indicated by the start point position data 61. Alternatively, the predetermined condition is that the intersection is closest to the point 55a indicated by the end point position data 62.

[0052] The intersection search unit 36 ​​acquires, from among the nodes included in the second map data 40, position data of the first intersection 41 that is closest to the point 54a indicated by the start point position data 61, and position data of the second intersection 42 that is closest to the point 55a indicated by the end point position data 62.

[0053] The predetermined condition may further include a condition regarding the direction of the second road 52b constituting the second road network 7. For example, the predetermined condition may be that the direction of the second road 52b from the first intersection 41 closest to the point 54a indicated by the start point position data 61 toward the point 55a indicated by the end point position data 62 corresponds to the direction data 63 of the start point 54 included in the road traffic information 60. In other words, the predetermined condition may be that the angle of the link corresponding to this second road 52b and the angle indicated by the direction data 63 of the start point 54 match or are within a predetermined angle.

[0054] The predetermined condition may be that the direction of the second road 52b from the second intersection 42 closest to the point 55a indicated by the end point position data 62 toward the point 54a indicated by the start point position data 61 corresponds to the direction data 64 of the end point 55. In other words, the predetermined condition may be that the angle of the link corresponding to this second road 52b and the angle indicated by the direction data 64 of the end point 55 match or are within a predetermined angle.

[0055] The predetermined condition may further include a condition regarding the road type of the second road 52b constituting the second road network 7. For example, the predetermined condition may be that the road type of the second road 52b extending from the first intersection 41 closest to the point 54a indicated by the start point position data 61 to the point 55a indicated by the end point position data 62 corresponds to the road type data 65 of the start point 54. In other words, the predetermined condition may be that the road type of the link corresponding to this second road 52b matches the road type indicated by the road type data 65 of the start point 54.

[0056] The predetermined condition may be that the road type of the second road 52b extending from the second intersection 42 closest to the point 55a indicated by the end point position data 62 toward the point 54a indicated by the start point position data 61 corresponds to the road type data 66 of the end point 55. In other words, the road type of the link corresponding to this second road 52b and the road type indicated by the road type data 66 of the end point 55 may match.

[0057] The road search unit 37 may specify the start link and the end link based on the above three conditions. That is, the road search unit 37 specifies, as the start link, a link corresponding to the direction data 63 of the start point 54 and the road type data 65 of the start point 54, among the links connected to the node corresponding to the first intersection 41 that is closest to the point 54a indicated by the start point position data 61 in the second road network 7.

[0058] The road search unit 37 specifies, as the end link, a link corresponding to the direction data 64 of the end point 55 and the road type data 66 of the end point 55, among the links connected to the node corresponding to the second intersection 42 closest to the point 55a indicated by the end point position data 62. The road search unit 37 may specify each of the start link and the end link based on any one of the above three conditions.

[0059] The road search unit 37 may be configured to, if the first intersection 41 closest to the point 54a does not satisfy the conditions regarding the direction of the second road 52b or the conditions regarding the road type, identify the start link and the end link based on the intersection that is next closest to the point 54a among the intersections that make up the second road network 7.

[0060] The road searching unit 37 calculates the length of the road between the first intersection 41 and the second intersection 42 based on the position data of the first intersection 41 and the second intersection 42 acquired by the intersection searching unit 36 ​​and the second map data 40. The road searching unit 37 may search for a road between the start link and the end link by, for example, Dijkstra's algorithm, and calculate the length of the searched road.

[0061] The road search unit 37 searches for the length of the shortest path between the start link and the end link. The road search unit 37 also searches for two or more intersections within the roads resulting from the road search. For each intersection found, the road search unit 37 calculates the length of the second road 52b between the intersection and a starting point 74, which will be described later.

[0062] In addition, when the second distance information 69 indicates the length of the first road 52a from the end point 55 of the first section 53 to the start position 58 or end point 59 of the caution section 50, the road search unit 37 may calculate the length of the second road 52b from the end point 75 to each intersection instead of the starting point 74.

[0063] The correction unit 38 determines the second section 73 according to a result of comparing the length of the first section 53 indicated by the first distance information 67 with the length of the road calculated by the road search unit 37. When the difference between the length of the first section 53 and the length of the road calculated by the road search unit 37 is smaller than a predetermined first reference value, the correction unit 38 determines the section between the first intersection 41 and the second intersection 42 searched by the intersection search unit 36 ​​to be the second section 73.

[0064] When the difference between the length of the first section 53 and the length of the road is smaller than the first reference value, it means that the section between the node connected to the start link and the node connected to the end link of the road corresponds to the first section 53. To determine whether the difference is smaller than the first reference value, the correction unit 38 calculates the distance ratio (C) based on the formula (1). The distance ratio (C) is the ratio of the difference in length.

[0065]

number

[0066] In formula (1), the length of the road is the length of the road calculated by the road search unit 37. The length of the first section 53 is the length of the first section 53 indicated by the first distance information 67.

[0067] The correction unit 38 allows a certain degree of distance ratio (C). For example, the first reference value may be 30%. For example, if the distance ratio (C) is less than 30%, the correction unit 38 determines that the target road matches the first section 53, and determines the section between the first intersection 41 and the second intersection 42 searched for by the intersection search unit 36 ​​to be the second section 73.

[0068] When the distance ratio (C) is 30% or more, the correction unit 38 determines that the road search unit 37 may have searched for another road that does not correspond to the first section 53, and that the road searched by the road search unit 37 is not the corresponding road in the first section 53. Note that the first reference value is not limited to 30%. The first reference value may be, for example, a value between 20% and 40%.

[0069] The second control unit 35 can correct the start point 54 and end point 55 of the first section 53 to correspond to the second map data 40 as described above, and obtains the position data of the start point 74 and end point 75 of the second section 73 as the corrected data.

[0070] Note that the correction unit 38 determines the second section 73 based on the ratio between the length of the first section 53 and the length of the road calculated by the road search unit 37, but is not limited to this configuration. The correction unit 38 may determine the section between the intersections searched for by the intersection search unit 36 ​​as the second section 73 when the difference between the length of the first section 53 and the length of the road calculated by the road search unit 37 is, for example, 5 m or less.

[0071] 7(a) shows an example of values ​​related to the second section 73. In this example, the second section 73 has three intersections including a start point 74 and an end point 75. The lengths of the second road 52b between each intersection and the start point 74 are as follows: the length between the first intersection 41 and the start point 74 is 0 m, the length between the third intersection 43 and the start point 74 is 620 m, and the length between the second intersection 42 and the start point 74 is 1000 m.

[0072] Here, if the processing device 3 does not correct the second distance information 69 and uses the length indicated by the second distance information 69 as is, there is a possibility that the caution section 50 may not be properly indicated on the map displayed on the display unit 34.

[0073] For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the length of the first road 52a from the start point 54 to the end point 59 of the second caution section 57 is 1000 m, whereas the length of the second section 73 shown in Fig. 7(a) is also 1000 m. In this case, as shown in Fig. 6, the second caution section 57 is displayed beyond the end point 75 of the second section 73, as indicated by the two-dot chain arrow 71.

[0074] If the first caution section 56 is the section up to the third intersection 43 in the middle of the first section 53, if the processing device 3 were to simply represent the first caution section 56 as its length from the starting point 74, the arrow 72 would be displayed in a shifted position, as shown in Figure 6.

[0075] In order to correct the attention section 50, the correction unit 38 calculates a distance correction value (α) which is the ratio between the length of the first section 53 and the length of the second section 73 based on the formula (2).

[0076]

number

[0077] In formula (2), the length of the road is the length of the road calculated by the road search unit 37. The correction unit 38 obtains the length of the first section 53 from the first distance information 67.

[0078] Next, the correction unit 38 calculates the corrected length (L1) from the start point 54 of the first section 53 to the end 59 of the warning section 50 based on the formula (3). The length (L1) is the length from the start point 74 in the second section 73 to the end 59 of the warning section 50.

[0079]

number

[0080] In formula (3), the length from the start point 54 to the end point 59 is the length of the first road 52a from the start point 54 of the first section 53 to the end point 59 of the caution section 50. The correction unit 38 obtains the length from the start point 54 to the end point 59 from the second distance information 69.

[0081] The correction unit 38 calculates the corrected length (L2) of the attention section 50 in the first section 53 based on the formula (4). That is, the length (L2) is the length of the attention section 50 in the second section 73.

[0082]

number

[0083] In addition, when the second distance information 69 indicates the length of the first road 52a from the end point 55 of the first section 53 to the end 59 of the caution section 50, the correction unit 38 may calculate the length based on the end point 75 of the second section 73 as the length (L1).

[0084] In formula (4), the length of the caution section 50 is the length of the caution section 50 in the first road network 5. The correction unit 38 obtains the length of the caution section 50 from the third distance information 70. α is calculated from formula (2).

[0085] In the example shown in FIG. 7(b), the corrected tail 59 is the length from the start point 74 to the tail 59 of the second section 73. The length from the start point 74 to the tail 59 is 520 m in the first caution section 56 and 800 m in the second caution section 57. The length of the caution section 50 in the second road network 7 is 120 m in the first caution section 56 and 200 m in the second caution section 57.

[0086] The correction unit 38 can correct the caution section 50 in accordance with the distance between the start position 58 of the caution section 50 in the second section 73 and an intersection included in the second section 73.

[0087] Correction of the caution section 50 involves, for example, correcting the start position 58 of the caution section 50 to the first intersection 41, which is closer to the start position 58. This takes into consideration the characteristic that congestion occurs starting from an intersection, and can prevent an unnatural position past the intersection, such as the position corresponding to the arrow 77 in FIG. 6, from being set as the start position 58.

[0088] If the length (L2) calculated from equation (4) is greater than or equal to a predetermined second reference value and the length of the second road 52b between the start position 58 of the caution section 50 and the intersection in the second section 73 is less than or equal to a third reference value, the correction unit 38 determines that the intersection is the start position 58 of the caution section 50.

[0089] The second reference value may be, for example, 40 m. Note that the second reference value is not limited to 40 m. The second reference value may be, for example, a value between 30 m and 50 m.

[0090] In order to correct the start position 58 of the caution section 50 in the second section 73 to the first intersection 41, the correction unit 38 calculates the corrected length (L3) from the start point 54 to the start position 58 in the first road network 5 based on formula (5). In other words, the length (L3) is the length of the second road 52b from the start point 74 in the second section 73 to the start position 58 of the caution section 50.

[0091]

number

[0092] Next, the correction unit 38 calculates the length (L4) of the second road 52b between the start position 58 of the caution section 50 in the second section 73 and the first intersection 41 based on the formula (6).

[0093]

number

[0094] The length from the starting point 74 to the first intersection 41 is the length of the second road 52b from the starting point 74 of the second section 73 to any one of the intersections included in the second section 73. The length from the starting point 74 to each intersection in the second section 73 is calculated by the road search unit 37.

[0095] The correction unit 38 may be configured to determine the length of the second road 52b from the start position 58 to the intersection in the second section 73 using the end point 75 as a reference instead of the start point 74. When the length of the second road 52b from the start position 58 to the intersection is equal to or less than a third reference value, the correction unit 38 may determine the start position 58 to be the intersection.

[0096] The correction unit 38 may be configured not to search for the remaining intersections when an intersection is found where the length of the second road 52b to the start position 58 is equal to or less than the third reference value. The third reference value may be 20 m. The third reference value is not limited to 20 m. The third reference value may be, for example, a value between 10 m and 30 m.

[0097] As a result of the correction by the correction unit 38, the length of the first warning section 56 is corrected to 120 m, as shown in an example in Fig. 7(c). As a result, the start position 58 of the warning section 56 is corrected from the position indicated by the arrow 72 in Fig. 6 to the position indicated by the arrow 77.

[0098] By using the second distance information 69 and the third distance information 70 corrected by the correction unit 38, the display control unit 39 can cause the display unit 34 to display the first warning section 56 at an appropriate position corresponding to the arrow 73a in Figure 5, and can cause the display unit 34 to display the second warning section 57 at an appropriate position corresponding to the arrow 73b in Figure 5.

[0099] The second control unit 35 can determine the caution section 50 in the second section 73 by using the starting point 74 of the second section 73 and the length of the second road 52b from the starting point 74, and thereby appropriately determine the start position 58 or the end 59 of the caution section 50 that does not correspond to a node in the second map data 40.

[0100] If the second distance information 69 and the third distance information 70 are not corrected, the display control unit 39 may cause the display unit 34 to display the warning section 50 based on the uncorrected second distance information 69 and third distance information 70.

[0101] When it is not determined that the difference between the length of the first section 53 and the length of the road calculated by the road search section 37 is smaller than a predetermined first reference value, the correction section 38 may determine that there is no corresponding road in the first section 53. In this case, for example, as shown by an arrow 71 in Fig. 6, it is considered that there is a possibility that the caution section 57 indicated by the uncorrected second distance information 69 and third distance information 70 falls outside between the point 54a indicated by the start point position data 61 and the point 55a indicated by the end point position data 62 in the second road network 7.

[0102] In such a case, the display control unit 39 may not display the caution section 57 on the display unit 34. Alternatively, when the length of the second road 52b between the caution section 57 and the point 54a indicated by the start point position data 61 or the point 55a indicated by the end point position data 62 is less than a predetermined value, the display control unit 39 may display the caution section 57, whose start position 58 is the intersection closest to the caution section 57 of the second road network 7, on the display unit 34.

[0103] The second control unit 35 is, for example, a CPU or an MPU. The intersection search unit 36, the road search unit 37, the correction unit 38, and the display control unit 39 are each realized by the CPU, the MPU, or the like executing a program stored in the second storage unit 33. The processing device 3 configured as described above corresponds to a computer.

[0104] <Second section calculation process> The processing device 3 generates position data indicating a start point 74 and an end point 75 of the second section 73 based on, for example, the second section calculation process shown in Fig. 8. The second control unit 35 executes the second section calculation process by receiving the road traffic information 60 from the server 2. Here, the second section calculation process will be explained using the flow diagram shown in Fig. 8. The symbol "S" means a step.

[0105] In the process of S1, the intersection search unit 36 ​​searches for two intersections that satisfy a predetermined condition from the intersections represented by the second map data 40. One intersection is closest to a point 54a corresponding to the start point 54 of the first section 53. The other intersection is closest to a point 55a corresponding to the end point 55.

[0106] In the process of S2, the road search unit 37, based on the second map data 40, identifies the start link corresponding to the intersection searched for in S2.

[0107] In the process of S3, the road search unit 37, based on the second map data 40, identifies an end link corresponding to the intersection searched for in S1.

[0108] In the process of S4, the road search unit 37 searches, based on the second map data 40, for the shortest route from the start link determined in S2 to the end link determined in S3.

[0109] In the process of S5, the correction unit 38 calculates the distance ratio (C) based on the length of the first section 53, the length of the shortest route searched for in S4, and the above formula (1).

[0110] In the process of S6, the correction unit 38 judges whether the distance ratio (C) is less than a first reference value. If the correction unit 38 judges that the distance ratio (C) is equal to or greater than the first reference value, it determines that there is no road corresponding to the first section 53 as in S7, and ends the second section determination process.

[0111] If the distance ratio (C) is less than the first reference value, the correction unit 38 determines the section between the two intersections found in S1 as the second section 73, and proceeds to S8.

[0112] In the process of S8, the correction unit 38 calculates a distance correction value (α) based on the length of the first section 53, the length of the second section 73 determined in S6, and equation (2).

[0113] In the process of S9, the correction unit 38 assigns the number of attention sections 50 included in the first section 53 to a variable N, and assigns 1 to a variable I. N is an integer.

[0114] In the process of S10, the correction unit 38 corrects the second distance information 69 and the third distance information 70 based on the calculated distance correction value (α) and equations (3) and (4).

[0115] In the process of S11, the correction unit 38 judges whether or not the value of the variable I is equal to or greater than the value of the variable N. If the value of the variable I is less than the value of the variable N, the correction unit 38 advances the second interval determination process to S12, increments the value of the variable I by 1, and returns to S10.

[0116] The correction unit 38 ends the second interval determination process when the value of the variable I is equal to or greater than the value of the variable N. That is, the correction unit 38 performs the process of S10 for all of the attention intervals 50.

[0117] <Start position correction process> The processing device 3 corrects the start position 58 of the attention section 50 included in the second section 73 based on, for example, the start position correction process shown in Fig. 9. The start position correction process is started after the second section determination process.

[0118] In the process of S21, the correction unit 38 assigns the number of attention sections 50 included in the first section 53 to a variable N, and assigns 1 to a variable I. N is an integer.

[0119] In the process of S22, the correction unit 38 determines whether or not the corrected length (L2) of the first warning section 56 is equal to or less than the second reference value. If the corrected length (L2) of the warning section 56 is equal to or less than the second reference value, the correction unit 38 advances the start position correction process to S23, increments the variable I by 1, and returns to S22.

[0120] In the second process of S22, the correction unit 38 determines whether or not the corrected length (L2) of the second warning section 57 is equal to or less than the second reference value. If the corrected length (L2) of the warning section 56 exceeds the second reference value, the correction unit 38 advances the start position correction process to S24.

[0121] In the process of S24, the correction unit 38 assigns the number of intersections included in the shortest route searched for in S4 shown in Fig. 8 to a variable M, and assigns 1 to a variable J. M is an integer.

[0122] In the process of S25, the correction unit 38 calculates the length (L3) of the second road 52b from the starting point 74 to the start position 58 based on the formula (5).

[0123] In the process of S26, the correction unit 38 determines whether the length (L4) of the second road 52b between the start position 58 and the intersection is equal to or less than a third reference value based on formula (6). If the length (L4) is equal to or less than the third reference value, the correction unit 38 corrects the start position 58 of the caution section 56 to the Jth intersection in S27. If the length (L4) exceeds the third reference value, the correction unit 38 advances the start position correction process to S28.

[0124] In the process of S28, the correction unit 38 determines whether the variable J is equal to or greater than the variable M. If the variable J is less than the variable M, the correction unit 38 advances the start position correction process to S29, increments the variable J by 1, and returns to S25. If the value of the variable J is equal to or greater than the variable M, the correction unit 38 advances the start position correction process to S30.

[0125] In the process of S30, the correction unit 38 determines whether the variable I is equal to or greater than the variable N. If the variable I is less than the variable N, the correction unit 38 advances the start position correction process to S23, increments the variable I by 1, and returns to S22. If the variable I is equal to or greater than the variable N, the correction unit 38 ends the start position correction process. As a result, the start positions 58 of all caution sections 50 included in the second section 73 are appropriately corrected to intersections.

[0126] The configuration of the processing device is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a map showing the caution zones 56 and 57 is displayed on the display unit 34, but the corrected road traffic information 60 may be used as support information for controlling the accelerator or brake of the mobile unit 4, or audio guidance may be provided.

[0127] In addition, in the processing system 1 of the above embodiment, the attention section 50 was included in the first section 53, but the processing system 1 may set the attention section 50 as the first section 53 and perform the second section calculation process and the start position correction process.

[0128] The present invention also includes a processing method used in the processing device, the following program, and a recording medium having the program recorded thereon.

[0129] A program for causing a computer to execute a process of storing map data including position data of a plurality of intersections connected to a plurality of roads and displaying a map based on the map data, The process comprises: receiving road traffic information including start point position data indicating the start point of a first section, end point position data indicating the end point of the first section, first distance information indicating the length of the first section, and second distance information indicating the length from the start point or the end point to the start position or end of a caution section where traffic congestion or traffic regulations are occurring; Identifying, from the map data, a first intersection whose distance from the start point satisfies a predetermined condition and a second intersection whose distance from the end point satisfies a predetermined condition; Calculating a distance ratio, which is a ratio between a length of a road connecting the first intersection and the second intersection and a length of the first section; determining the road as a second section corresponding to the first section when the distance ratio is smaller than a first reference value; calculating a distance correction value that is a ratio between a length of the first section and a length of the second section; correcting the length indicated by the second distance information using the distance correction value; displaying the map showing the attention section based on the length of the corrected second distance information; Programs including.

[0130] Although the disclosed embodiments and their advantages have been described above, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, additions, and omissions without departing from the scope of the present invention as clearly set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0131] 3 Processing equipment 7 Second road network 32 2nd Communications Department 33 2nd memory section 34 Display section 35 Second Control Section 40 2nd map data 41 1st intersection 42 2nd Intersection 43 3rd Intersection 52b 2nd road 53 First Section 56, 57 Caution Area 61 Starting point position data 62 End point location data 63 Second Section 67 First Distance Information 69 Second Distance Information 70 Third Distance Information 74 Starting point of the second section 75 End of Section 2

Claims

1. a communication unit that receives road traffic information including start point position data indicating the start point of a first section, end point position data indicating the end point of the first section, first distance information indicating the length of the first section, second distance information indicating the length from the start point or the end point to the start position or end of a caution section where traffic congestion or traffic regulations are occurring, and third distance information indicating the length of the caution section; A storage unit that stores map data including position data of a plurality of nodes connected to a plurality of links; a display unit that displays a map based on the map data; a control unit that identifies from the map data a first node whose distance from the starting point satisfies a predetermined condition and a second node whose distance from the end point satisfies a predetermined condition, calculates a distance ratio that is a ratio between the length of the link connecting the first node and the second node and the length of the first section, and if the distance ratio is smaller than a first reference value, determines the link to be a second section corresponding to the first section, calculates a distance correction value that is the ratio between the length of the first section and the length of the second section, corrects the length indicated by the second distance information and the length of the attention section using the distance correction value, and displays on the display unit the map showing the attention section with each of the corrected lengths; A processing device comprising:

2. The map data further includes direction data indicating a road direction of each of the links and road type data indicating a road type of each of the links, The road traffic information further includes first direction data indicating a road direction of the first section and first road type data indicating a road type of the first section, The predetermined condition is that the node is the closest node to the start point or the end point, or that the node is connected to a link including direction data that matches the road direction indicated by the first direction data or is within a predetermined angle including the road direction, or that the node is connected to a link that matches the first road type.

2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. A processing method for use in a processing device that stores map data including position data of a plurality of nodes connected to a plurality of links and displays a map based on the map data, comprising: receiving road traffic information including start point position data indicating the start point of a first section, end point position data indicating the end point of the first section, first distance information indicating the length of the first section, second distance information indicating the length from the start point or the end point to the start position or end of a caution section where traffic congestion or traffic regulations are occurring, and third distance information indicating the length of the caution section; Identifying, from the map data, a first node whose distance from the start point satisfies a predetermined condition, and a second node whose distance from the end point satisfies a predetermined condition; calculating a distance ratio that is a ratio between a length of a link connecting the first node and the second node and a length of the first section; determining the link as a second section corresponding to the first section when the distance ratio is smaller than a first reference value; calculating a distance correction value that is a ratio between a length of the first section and a length of the second section; correcting the length indicated by the second distance information and the length of the attention section using the distance correction value; displaying the map showing the attention zone with each corrected length; A processing method comprising:

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